Sarah's Overview
“An old favourite of Real Holidays, Borgo Il Poeta has a new owner and a modernised revamp of the traditional stone houses, whilst keeping the lovely character of the Borgo in place. Self-catering gives you freedom and privacy while the on-site manager Gabriele can help out with excursions or local recommendations – the best of both worlds!”
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The Houses
With six houses, Borgo Il Poeta has a range of choice, depending on your group size from one-bedroom to four. Inside, I found the décor to be very much traditional in style, with exposed stone walls, soaring ceilings criss-crossed with oak beams, terracotta flooring and huge fireplaces within the entrance halls, dining rooms and living spaces. Bedrooms come with fine Italian linens and beautifully tiled bathrooms are appointed with Acqua di Parma toiletries.
Although the buildings themselves are centuries old, it’s nice to see welcome modern additions include air-con and smart TVs, and the kitchens have updated appliances to make cooking a pleasure. Around the houses are pathways so you can explore the grounds, discovering the old chapel, shared swimming pool and bijou gym.
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Food & Drink
Although the houses are self-catering with well set-up kitchens for you to prepare your own meals, including dishwashers, coffee machines and toasters, there are a variety of ways to make life easier on holiday. Firstly, you can arrange for a starter pack to get you going straight away and if you have any special requests, you can ask for your fridge to be filled before you arrive. Breakfast hampers can come to your door first thing and it also easy enough to take a picnic to eat in a shady spot in the grounds, or in the courtyard which has lovely views and tables and chairs scattered around for communal use.
For evenings, there is also a BBQ area with pizza oven if you fancy an al fresco evening under the stars; equally a local Italian chef can come to make pizzas for your group which would be a memorable way to round off the day. And of course, there are lots of lovely restaurants nearby for you to dine out at. Speak to the manager Gabriele about his recommendations.
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Thing to Do
Located in the heart of Umbria, one of the nicest aspects of the Borgo is its rural, peaceful setting. However, there are lots of nearby Umbrian towns which make perfect day trips, meaning you can experience some of Umbria honey-coloured architecture, Roman ruins, medieval churches and museums. All within an hour are riverside Umbertide, the walled medieval village of Montone and Gubbio with its basilica, cathedral and cable car to the Apennines Mountains.
The pretty city of Perugia makes a lovely day strolling the historic piazzas, cobbled streets and Roman arches among cafes, gelaterias and restaurants. Nearby to home, speak to Gabriel about organising a local excursion like golf on the Antognolla golf course, wine tasting, horse riding, truffle hunting and e-bike riding. Don’t forget to leave time to relax by the pool back home at Borgo Il Poeta too!
